Welcoming Ria Moran to the family + new single 'Take It or Leave It' (ft. Nubiyan Twist)
We’re excited to announce the signing of Liverpool-raised, London-based alt-soul singer-songwriter Ria Moran to DeepMatter Records, for her first offering, Take It Or Leave It’.
The track sees her reunite with UK afro-jazz fusion heavyweights Nubiyan Twist, who she has toured and recorded with extensively over the past four years. Celebrating deep friendships that began many years ago when Ria and the band were students in Leeds, this single is a full circle moment, honouring the past before moving towards Ria’s future.
Inspired by shared experiences with the band, including performing on Glastonbury's West Holts stage, this horn-heavy, afro-infused neo-soul instrumental lays a solid foundation for Ria to reflect on the importance of boundary setting, and becoming more unapologetic. She shares: “Writing the lyrics came at a time when I was learning about boundary setting in my psychotherapy sessions, and honestly, I really struggled with the question, what do we owe each other? My gut says ‘everything’ - we have to care for each other, but we also need to remember boundary setting is healthy, a love letter to yourself reminding people how you want to be treated. ‘This is me, take it or leave it.”
The single is Ria’s first solo release since her 2019 EP ‘Moving into the Light’, a project that received widespread support from BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 6, Worldwide FM and DSP editorial, and has amassed more than one million streams. Her music sits at the juncture of forward-thinking UK soul music and nu-jazz, placing her alongside contemporaries including Ego Ella May, Yazmin Lacey and Cleo Sol, whilst also nodding to pioneers like Sade and Erykah Badu. An in-demand collaborator, her work on Nubiyan Twist’s ‘Freedom Fables’ saw Ria and the band nominated for a MOBO Award, before going on to release music via legendary jazz label Blue Note Records for their ‘Blue Note Re:Imagined” album, culminating in a live session for BBC Radio 2 at the iconic Maida Vale Studios.
Not content with being a part of one critically acclaimed project, Ria also collaborated with bassist Daniel Casimir for his acclaimed ‘Boxed In’ album for a fusion of modern jazz, soul and orchestral music that featured a who’s-who of UK jazz stars, including Nubya Garcia and Moses Boyd. Since 2019, she’s also been the touring vocalist for Yorkshire cinematic soul-jazz instrumentalists Gotts Street Park, sharing stages with the likes of Celeste, ENNY and Pip Millet and building her profile as a standout voice within the UK scene.
